Rajan Swaroop, the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, on Friday, said that the company would adopt 50 public primary schools in Nigeria in the next three years.

Mr Swaroop stated this at the foundation laying ceremony of a block of classrooms at Oremeji Primary School 2, in Ajegunle, Lagos. He said that the adoption of public schools across the country was part of the company's corporate social responsibility programme. "We are here not only to lay the foundation of the ultra-modern block of six classrooms which Airtel Nigeria is donating to the people of Lagos State, we are here to lay a solid foundation for the future of our children, the future leaders of our country, Nigeria," he said.

He said that quality education offered children the best opportunity in life to realise their dreams of becoming the leaders of tomorrow. "It is, therefore, in recognition of the importance of education and part of our vision that we are committed to adoption of public primary schools across Nigeria," he said. "Under this programme, we are adopting government-owned primary schools located in underserved rural and semi-urban areas. We are to provide them with requisite infrastructure, including classrooms, textbooks, furniture, school uniforms and school bags and indeed skills improvement for the teachers."

Sarah Sosan, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, said that the company was responding to a call made by the state government in August 2008.

Mrs Sosan, who was represented by the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Gbolahan Daodu, said there had been some decay in the educational system, especially during the military era. She, however, said that the situation had started changing in the last 15 years.